The present invention refers to a light ray radiation device for use in medical treatment, in particular, to a light ray radiation device for use in medical treatment for promoting a living body reaction on the surface of the skin as well as under the skin by effectively radiating visible light rays onto the entire body's skin surface.
In recent years, man's life-span has increased and consequently larger numbers of persons suffer from incurable diseases such as arthritis, neuralgia and rheumatism, or from pain caused by injuries, bone fractures, or from illdefined diseases. Furthermore, persons cannot avoid growing old and having their skin age which progresses gradually from a comparatively young age. On the other hand, the present applicant has previously proposed to focus the sun's rays or artificial light rays by the use of lenses or the like, to guide the same into an optical conductor, and to transmit those same rays onto an optional desired place through the optical conductor. Those light rays transmitted in such a way are employed for use in illumination or for other like purposes as for example to cultivate plants, chlorella or the like. In the process thereof, visible light rays not containing therein ultraviolet rays, infrared rays, etc. promote a living body reaction.
In order to stop pain, it may be necessary to concentrate much radiated light onto the diseased part of a patient. However, even light rays of a weak intensity can have a beneficial effect on a disease if a sufficient length of time is allowed for radiating such light rays onto it. In practice, various medical treatments are administered by partially radiating weak light rays onto a diseased part. Furthermore, although it has been well known that sun-bathing is useful for promoting the health of a human body, the sun's rays contain therein ultraviolet rays or like harmful rays. Light rays such as ultraviolet rays exert a bad influence on the skin. In addition, a person who has not been healthy should not bathe in the sun. And furthermore, ultraviolet rays, and infrared rays have an accumulative effect. When ultraviolet rays are intense, cancer can develop. On the other hand, when infrared rays are intense, the radiated part becomes heated and is apt to get burned. It therefore isn't good for anyone's health to bathe for a long time in light rays containing therein ultraviolet and infrared rays.
In consideration of the above circumstances, the present applicant has previously proposed a light ray radiation device for use in medical treatment capable of radiating light rays which contain only visible light ray components and which contain no harmful components such as ultraviolet and infrared rays.
The present applicant has previously proposed a light ray radiation device or a light ray bathtub for use in medical treatment. The inner surface of the bathtub is mechanically processed into the form of a mirror. The bathtub has optical conductors in it's inner wall for supplying the visible light rays into the bathtub. The visible light rays radiated from the optical conductor are reflected onto the inner surface of the bathtub and almost uniformly radiated into the bathtub itself.
Moreover, although radiators for radiating light rays into the bathtub may be installed in the bathtub at uniformly spaced intervals of the distance, it may be possible to supply light rays of a stronger intensity to a certain part, as for instance a shoulder or to otherwise, or it may be possible to direct the light rays, radiated from each light ray radiation point of a smaller number of light radiators, toward the inner surface of the bathtub and to diffuse such light rays therefrom. The light ray bathtub is employed such that a naked person enters therein and bathes in the light rays radiated as mentioned above. For this reason, the bathtub is constructed such that it can be opened and closed by the use of a well known optional desired means.
Furthermore, since a person takes off one's clothes after entering the interior thereof, an undressing basket is unitarily attached to the bathtub. A head portion covering member is made of a transparent body such that the person entering the bathtub can see the state of the exterior thereof. The afore-mentioned head portion covering member is constructed such that it can also be opened and closed for the purpose of getting in touch with persons outside of the bathtub or for putting clothes into the basket. In addition, it may be easily understood that a wireless apparatus can be installed in the light ray bathtub, and a push button switch connected with the exterior thereof can be mounted on a board in the bathtub. Other well known means can be employed, all for the purpose of getting in touch with persons outside thereof.
And further, if a transparent bottom board is put on the bottom portion of the light ray bathtub and the light rays are radiated from the lower side of the bottom board, the light rays can be supplied to the sole of a foot which normally does not receive the light rays, for maintaining health by improving a person's blood circulation.
An apparatus for focusing the sun's rays or artificial light rays is attached to the end portion of an optical conductor cable and the light rays focused by the apparatus are guided into the optical conductor cable and transmitted therethrough. The light rays to be transmitted through the optical conductor for consist only of visible light rays containing therein neither ultraviolet nor infrared rays.
The light-receiving sockets of the optical conductor are provided onto the bathtub, and when the light ray bathtub is employed, the sockets are connected with the light-emitting socket of the optical conductor cable. The light rays transmitted through the optical conductor cable are delivered to the optical conductor installed in the inner wall of the bathtub through the sockets, and then radiated into the light ray bathtub in the manner mentioned before. The radiated light rays are reflected on the inner wall surface of the bathtub and almost uniformly supplied to the entire surface of a person's skin.
The temperature in the interior of the light ray bathtub is controlled. For instance, heated air or cooled air of a desired temperature is supplied into the bathtub through an air hose in order to control the temperature therein. When the bathtub is employed, the end portion of the air hose is connected with an air hose connecting mouth provided on the upper part of the light ray bathtub and temperature-controlled air is supplied from the upper part of the bathtub and discharged from the lower part thereof.
The light ray bathtub in which a person bathes while standing therein has been described heretofore. It may be also possible to bathe while sitting on a chair or lying down on a bed. In such cases, the shape of the bathtub needs to be changed depending on the posture of the person therein. For instance, its height is lowered a little or the type of bathtub is changed to a horizontal one from a vertical one. Such modifications are options as the occasion demands. However, in such cases, if the chair or the bed, to be put in the bathtub, is constructed of a transparent substance, it may be possible for the whole body of a person to bathe in the light rays.